The population of the Petersburg borough dropped last year. That’s according to an annual estimate put out by the Alaska Department of Labor, which uses Permanent Fund applications to come up with the estimates.
The state says the number of people in the Petersburg borough in 2015 was 3,199, down from 3,222 the year before.
While the population fell in the borough overall, it was not that way throughout. The number of people living within the limits of the old city of Petersburg dropped to 2,941, a decrease of 34 people from 2014. The city of Kupreanof also saw a decrease, down to 20 people, a drop of six people from the year before. However, the population in the remainder of the borough grew by an estimated 17 people.
Wrangell saw its population increase by 27 people, while Juneau gained by 119. Prince of Wales Island, Sitka and Ketchikan all lost numbers.
Overall, the Southeast region lost population in 2015, attributed to net migration – more people moving away than moving to this part of Alaska. Some regions like South-Central, Northern and the gulf Coast saw increases last year. The Mat-Su borough was the fastest growing borough, gaining 1,800 people last year alone, while the Anchorage borough lost over 1400.
